Pickled Green Onion Ranch

Grilled Pork Steaks with Ranch Dressing is yet another great use for the dressing.

The only way buttermilk will go to waste is if you if you have a lack of ideas for using it and because of this don’t. It can hang out longer then regular milk because of the live culture but it will eventually go bad.

This dressing alone can be used as a base, minus the green onions, and you can make parmesan black peppercorn or fresh herb ranch. Then there are all the other products too, real Southern cornbread, buttermilk pancakes, bread and of course biscuits.

Buttermilk is full of probiotics. Rumor has it the beneficial bacteria will help you to maintain a healthy stomach which helps in fighting off other sicknesses. This, though, is if you drink it or use it uncooked. The label should read live active culture in order for you to get the benefits.

There is a term in cooking, and at culinary school, that asks for you to cook a liquid or combine ingredients to a thickness that will coat the back of a spoon. You go about this by dipping the spoon into the liquid and then, while holding it sideways, run your finger across the convex side. The liquid should hang there for a second or two before closing the gap your finger created.

1. About three inches from the root end cut the green onions. Reserve the green tops for another use (buttermilk green onion smashed potatoes comes to mind). Place the green onions and garlic into a small heat proof container.

2. Heat the water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a small sauce pan set over high heat. Bring it to a boil and let the salt and sugar dissolve.

3. Pour the hot liquid over the green onions and garlic. Let the onions pickle for at least two hours.

4. Once the green onions are olive drab and soft remove them and the garlic from the liquid. Mince them fine.

5. Combine the mayo, buttermilk, reserved 1 1/2 tablespoons of pickling liquid and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add the green onions and garlic along with fresh ground black pepper to taste.